Allegan County Sheriff

[JBelknap]

Hey guys,

I stopped listening to my scanner for a long time and recently decide to turn it on again. My only problem is I don't hear anything on my Allegan County frequencies and groups. I still have 3211 as central but haven't heard a single thing from it. Did they make a change to where we no longer can listen to them or do I need to reprogram my scanner?

Thanks,
JBelknap

[carpetman]

They apear to have quit simucasting on MPSC and are only using their provoice system.

[jasoveen]

The MPSCS patches have not really been active since labor day, they can activate the patches if needed for big events. Each of the State police units have a EDACS ProVoice radio.

Fire is still on the VHF system, they have gone narrow banded so you may need to reprogram your scanner. County road commission and Wayland EMS are also still on the VHF system.

[jack3726]

When you say each MSP unit has a pro-voice radio, is this only to communicate with Allegan County.

[jasoveen]

Yes, originally the systems where linked so MSP units could communicate with Allegan county units. Now that each MSP unit carries a portable ProVoice radio they don't link the two systems. If there is some event where MSP units without radios are involved they can enable the link again.

The MSP units still use the MPSCS to communicate with Reg5 dispatch on 3067 and 3068.

[jack3726]

I am not even going to guess how much that costs, who pays for it, how many units are you talking. Do they have to have special portables as well. Seems like overkill to me, couldn't they have just left the patched TGID and just encrypted it at allot less money.

[jack3726]

JASOVEEN, just reread your post about portables, on my reply scratch the portables portion, the rest of the questions remain.

[rdale]

MPSCS frowns against permanent patches... It may have been that, or a tower use issue, or audio quality (links between digital often don't sound very good) or maybe just better ability to coordinate?

[jasoveen]

No idea on what it cost or the real reason. There are only a few MSP units in Allegan county. They are dispatched by Allegan for most calls so they might have just figured it was easier to have everyone on one system. The link has had problems before.

[bodnarp]

Hey Jason, does Wayland EMS use a repeater and if so what is the freq. Paul-KD8DLP

[rdale]

They did as of a few months ago when I was there. It's listed in the RRDB.

[jasoveen]

Correct, Wayland EMS has a repeater on 155.23500. It's patched to the county EDACS system. Plainwell EMS, Fennville AMR, and Allegan Life EMS are only on the EDACS system.

[jack3726]

This patch, is it encrypted.

[rdale]

No, it's listed in the RRDB.

[jack3726]

RDALE, I looked up the database info, question for you. Shouldn't some of these mode values be changed from a 'D' to a 'E' ?? Isn't the 'D' digital analog and the 'E' digital encrypted.

Are all the various PD depts 'E's then??

Just wondering.

Thanks.

[rdale]

D = Digital, which is ProVoice on an EDACS system. I have no idea if they are encrypted, but would doubt it...

[jack3726]

Then based on the RR database how do you know if they are analog or encrypted.
I thought someone said that they were un-monitorable now, if so what portion and how can you tell that via the RR database.

[rdale]

None are analog.

No scanner can hear ProVoice, but you can monitor by hooking to your computer.